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2,327 items · Springboks
Bok win came despite Erasmus chaos — and the forwards stole the show
The Boks won, but Planet Rugby argues the selection chaos was real — and their winners/losers breakdown rates the Etzebeth-Holland lock duel as the match highlight while flagging Erasmus's fortnight of dysfunction and a growing Ruben Love problem for the All Blacks.
Airlink jets cleared Cape Town Stadium by as little as 12.5 metres during Springbok-All Blacks Test
Flight-tracking data reveals the Airlink jets that flew over Cape Town Stadium before the Springbok-All Blacks Test cleared the roof by as little as 12.5 metres.
Rassie turns the psychological tables on the All Blacks
Erasmus acknowledges All Blacks improvement but argues the psychological pressure has now flipped — the full piece unpacks his post-match mindset.
Ox fires back at Rennie's scrum complaints
Nché offers a blunt response to Rennie's complaints about Springbok scrum walkabouts and referee interpretations at the set-piece.
The pacing gene, standing crisps, and what the split trophy gets right
A fan-perspective column on the Cape Town Test that doubles as a quiet argument for why this rivalry is genuinely irreducible — Kolbe's kicking, the immovable Bok pack, and 112 Tests that still haven't settled anything.
Rassie fires back at Rennie's scrum accusations: 'Don't come with that nonsense'
Erasmus went after Rennie hard after Cape Town, rejecting the 'walking around' scrum accusation as a media pressure tactic and pointing to unpunished head contacts and collapsed All Blacks scrums as evidence the complaints only flow one way. The piece captures a coach who is both genuinely irritated and deliberately counter-punching heading into a decider.
Erasmus hits back at Rennie's scrum complaints after Springboks seal Cape Town victory
Rassie Erasmus has dismissed All Blacks head coach Dave Rennie's claims that the Springboks employed illegal scrum tactics during their 33-26 victory in Cape Town. The Springbok boss defended his pack's technique and accused Rennie of resorting to media pressure, while the New Zealand coach maintained his concerns after raising issues with World Rugby ahead of the second Rugby Championship Test.
Kolisi leads Springboks' ferocious response to level series against All Blacks
The Springboks rediscovered their power game in Cape Town, battering the All Blacks 33-26 to level the series at 1-1. Captain Siya Kolisi scored a crucial first-half try and delivered a thunderous hit on opposite number Ardie Savea as South Africa responded emphatically to their Ellis Park humiliation. Cheslin Kolbe's flawless boot contributed 18 points, but a late All Blacks surge ensured the decider in Johannesburg remains wide open.
Springboks reclaim top spot as All Blacks' reign lasts just one week
The Springboks returned to number one in the World Rugby rankings after beating New Zealand 33-26 in Cape Town, with the All Blacks' time at the top lasting just one week — mirroring events from the same fixture 12 months ago.
Standing, pacing, and why the Greatest Rivalry trophy that breaks in two makes perfect sense
A fan's 3am perspective on the Cape Town Test, with a sharp breakdown of how Kolbe's boot decided the match despite the All Blacks scoring four tries — and why the series trophy designed to break in two is the most honest piece of rugby hardware ever made.
Kolbe and du Toit shine as Erasmus's selection gambles vindicated in Cape Town
Kolbe, Pieter-Steph du Toit, and Etzebeth top the ratings as Planet Rugby's match review argues Erasmus's controversial pre-game selection changes — particularly in the front row — were vindicated by the result and the bench's collective impact.
Stransky's Hall of Fame induction brings 1995's defining moment back to life
Stransky's World Rugby Hall of Fame induction prompts a reflective column on the full scope of his Springbok career — beyond the drop goal — and the broader class of icons whose contributions the ceremony brought back into focus.
Erasmus front-row gamble pays off as Springboks level series with All Blacks
South Africa defeated New Zealand 33-26 in the second Test, levelling the series 1-1, with Rassie Erasmus controversially replacing his entire front-row an hour before kick-off.
Rennie flags scrum concerns ahead of decider — but admits Boks deserved the win
Rennie has flagged the Boks' scrummaging tactics — and specifically the walking-around technique targeting the All Blacks' tighthead — as an ongoing concern after the Cape Town loss, with World Rugby already looped in. Beyond the set-piece, he acknowledged South Africa's dominance at the breakdown and in the air as the decisive factors heading into the FNB decider.
Erasmus fires back at Rennie's scrum allegations: 'We're not f***ing walking around'
Rassie Erasmus has forcefully rejected Dave Rennie's post-match allegations of illegal scrummaging, insisting the Springboks 'scrum straight' and accusing New Zealand of attempting to influence referees through the media ahead of the series decider at FNB Stadium.
Erasmus fires back at Rennie: 'Don't come with that nonsense'
Erasmus has gone on the offensive after Rennie raised scrum-legality concerns with World Rugby, dismissing it as a pressure tactic and warning that South Africa will push back hard on any attempt to shape referee thinking through the media ahead of the decisive Tests.
Rassie praises All Blacks but fires back at Rennie's referee-influencing campaign
Rassie heaps praise on Rennie's rebuilt All Blacks but goes after the opposition coach's referee-lobbying campaign, which Rich argues had a measurable effect on how the scrums were officiated in Cape Town. With the series level at 1-1, the piece dissects the officiating controversies, the front-row selection saga, and sets up a compelling decider at Soccer City.
Savea warns All Blacks cannot afford another slow start after Cape Town defeat
Ardie Savea admits the All Blacks cannot afford to give the Springboks another fast start after a slow beginning cost them in their 33-26 defeat in Cape Town.
Rassie fires back at All Blacks over scrum accusations
Rassie Erasmus publicly rejected All Blacks accusations that the Springbok pack walks around or uses negative scrum tactics, hitting back in a fiery post-match address in Cape Town.
Erasmus warns Boks must improve despite Cape Town win over All Blacks
Rassie Erasmus has warned the Springboks must improve for Saturday's series decider in Johannesburg despite a 33-26 win over New Zealand in Cape Town that levelled the series 1-1, with Cheslin Kolbe's boot and tries from Kriel, De Allende and Kolisi proving decisive. The match also marked Pieter-Steph du Toit's 100th cap.